Weekly English Practice What Are Your Musical Tastes? 12th March 2020 In the first of two WEP articles Before you read the article, What is your favourite song? www.englishcoachingprojects.net about musical tastes, ECP coach That’s a difficult question. I have find this vocabulary in the text: [email protected] John chats with his colleague Ali lots of favourites and they tend to about his tastes. back in the day: In the past change according to how I feel. beloved: Something you really love Below is a summary of the chat, Politically, it has to be Anarchy in listen to the audio for the full jingly jangly: typical sound of traditional the UK by the Pistols, the song interview. Why not compare the folk music which sums up my philosophy. two? What differences are there? banned prohibited When it comes to love, it is either turntable: circular revolving plate on Shake Some Action by the What was your first concert? which vinyl records are played Flaming Groovies or Another Girl Hard to remember, probably drum roll: a rapid succession of drum beats Another Planet by The Only Ones, Thin Lizzy or Eric Clapton back played on a drum the song with the best drum roll in the day. intro and lead guitar break in the riff: a short repeated musical phrase in John playing in his band back in the day What was the last concert you universe. This is an actual fact! popular music and jazz went to? Alison Keable. Do you have any favourite Best ever concerts? So many…. genres? I grew up listening to my Let’s chat The Clash, the first time. Frank Sinatra, both times. The dad’s Frank Sinatra and rock and roll records. The first riff I Pogues. All the times I’ve seen the Buzzcocks and The Fall. learned on the guitar was Badge by the heavy rock super about that! The Smiths, the Ramones (I,2,3,4!). group Cream. Later I became a punk. I love Irish traditional Write your opinions in an email music and all folk. I have become more open and less tribal and send them to your ECP coach! Loudest concert? The Stranglers. Jean-Jacques Burnel’s bass was always at maximum volume. in my musical tastes living in the Basque Country. Volando Voy is my ringtone. Are you surprised by John’s Which group have you seen the most? My beloved Have you got any ‘guilty pleasure’ bands or songs? musical tastes? Buzzcocks. When I was a punk rocker I would never have admitted to Most surprising? Bob Dylan at Bilbao Bullring in the liking Frank Sinatra but I love his music. I am also partial to 1990s. No jingly jangly folk music. This was a heavy rock How would you describe his Dolly Parton and Abba. musical tastes? concert! Are there any songs that can or have made you cry? Next concert? Hopefully Bryan Ferry but probably Alison Obviously, Boys Don’t Cry! But being honest, music is all Keable. about emotion. You can cry from both sadness and Do you know of and like any of the Which band or artist do you wish you could have seen? happiness and also pride. Joy Division’s Atmosphere artists and groups he mentions? The Sex Pistols were banned from playing in Newcastle so always gets me, as does What Do I Get? by the Buzzcocks. I missed them. A big regret. The Beatle’s Here Comes the Sun stirs the emotions with its How important is music to you? What are you listening to right now? I’m rediscovering simple message that although things have been bad they Could you live without it? Basque radical rock. I am enjoying the songs of La Polla can and will get better. I always cry when I sing The Records, Eskorbuto and Hertzainak amongst others. Internationale, every bloody time! I am also listening to a bit of jazz. A Kind of Blue by Miles Can you sing us a song now? Are you sure you really want Answer the questions in bold about your own musical tastes Davis and Scenery by Ryo Fukui are never off my turntable. me to? Fog on the Tyne Social Events In English Practical English Stuff Real-Life English in Vitoria-Gasteiz Real Language to Express Yourself Better Coffee Cinema Saturdays: Nights: Listening to music in English helps you learn. 5th Oct ✔ 25th Oct ✔ Look at these tips. 2nd Nov ✔ 29th Nov ✔ GET BETTER AT 7th Dec ✔ 20th Dec ✔ LISTENING IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY Music can help your brain 11th Jan ✔ 31st Jan ✔ You will pick up new words you have not heard before or notice be more receptive to 1st Feb ✔ 28th Feb ✔ some words that are being used in a different context with a hearing English through ✔ different meaning. If you listened to one new song per week, it repetition. 7th Mar 27th Mar would expose you to lots of new vocabulary and phrases that How many adjectives can 4th Apr 24th Apr are difficult to forget. The music helps you remember the lyrics. you recognise in this Song suggestion: The Cure’s Friday I’m in Love is a good song song by Supertramp? 2nd May 29th May Logical Song Dates for your diary! to remember the days of the week. 6th Jun 26th Jun SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE PERFECT YOUR PRONUNCIATION Song lyrics contain slang, figures of speech, When you learn a new language, there are symbolism, and metaphors that you may not lots of unusual sounds your mouth is not use in your everyday language. They also used to making. Singing helps our mouths contain abbreviations in the written language to form the right shapes and make these that you can learn and use in an informal sounds loudly and clearly. Singing also situation. The Proclaimers sing in a Scottish helps us learn how stronger and weaker accent. If you want to learn some Scottish sounds are pronounced differently in slang, sing along with this! 500 Miles English. Ask your coach for details! Google the lyrics of your favourite songs in English. Once you have learned the lyrics, THERE ARE NO LIMITS you can practice your pronunciation and If music is your passion it can really help you get explore different accents. Accents depend better at English. Why not try a Dylan song? on the country but also on the area the Once you understand Bob you can be sure you singer comes from. Singing will help you to have a high level of English! learn the correct pronunciation of the Mr. Tambourine Man “Play a song for me, words and will also help you to remember In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following the new vocabulary you have learned. Sing you…” along to the Wedding Present from Leeds. .